Salary Benchmark
What should you pay a software engineer in Germany? A product manager in the UK? Pick the role and country — get the market range in seconds. No email, no paywall.
Gross annual salary — United Kingdom market median
Gross base salary before tax and benefits. Data: Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, local job boards (2024–2025).
Recruiter agency fee (20%)
£14,000
Charged once, upfront, on top of the salary.
Penroll Starter (full year)
$228
Unlimited hires. £14,000 saved on the first one.
How to use these benchmarks
These figures are gross annual base salary — before tax, employer contributions, and benefits. They cover the most common hiring markets for EU/UK/US tech startups, sourced from Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and local job boards (2024–2025 data).
The “market median” band (mid-level) is the right target for a first hire into a role. Going below the 40th percentile — roughly the low end of the junior band — signals budget constraints to candidates and leads to fast churn. Going above the senior band is rarely necessary unless you need a specific lead or architect.
What about benefits and equity?
Early-stage startups often offset a below-median salary with equity (0.1–1% for first 5 hires is common), flexible remote work, and faster career growth. If your cash comp is 10–15% below market, a meaningful equity grant can close the gap. Beyond 20% below market, equity rarely compensates — hire at market rate.
Frequently asked
What is the average salary for a software engineer in the UK?
Around £70,000 gross for a mid-level engineer. Junior: £55,000–£65,000. Senior: £85,000–£105,000. London adds roughly 15–25%.
What is the average software engineer salary in Germany?
Around €70,000 gross for a mid-level engineer. Berlin and Munich are broadly in line with the national tech average (unlike London’s UK premium).
Are these salaries for remote or in-office roles?
The figures reflect the local market for the listed country regardless of remote vs. in-office. Fully remote roles that hire globally sometimes compress toward lower-cost markets; hybrid/in-office roles in expensive cities often sit at the high end of the range.